Dr. William R. Law, physician

Frederick N. Rasmussen, The Baltimore Sun

Dr. William R. Law, a retired Baltimore internist whose career at Bon Secours Hospital spanned more than three decades, died Feb. 20 of cancer at Stella Maris Hospice. The longtime West Towson resident was 77.

The son of an electrical engineer and a homemaker, William Rawlins Law was born in Baltimore and raised in Rodgers Forge.

Dr. Law was a 1962 graduate of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and completed both his internship and residency at what is now Mercy Medical Center. He also completed a fellowship in neurology at the University of Maryland.

He served in the Army Medical Corps and remained an active reservist, attaining the rank of captain.

From 1967 to 1974, he maintained a private practice in internal medicine and was on the staffs of Bon Secours Hospital, Mercy Medical Center and the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center.

Dr. Law's career at Bon Secours began in 1967 as a screening physician in the medical and diabetes clinics.

In 1976, he established and directed the hospital's Certified Nurse Practitioner Program until 1994. He also chaired the hospital's Department of Community Medicine, where he was director of the emergency department, ambulatory care clinics and substance abuse program.

From 1986 to 1989, he was vice president of Bon Secours, and from 1990 to 1997 was vice president in charge of the hospital's quality improvement. For the last two years of his career until retiring in 1999, he was the hospital's chief medical officer.

"All the nurses knew if Dr. Law was on duty, our patients would receive the very best evaluation and treatment," said Francine Storch, a registered nurse who worked with Dr. Law as a nurse manager for 25 years. "He was a gem to have as our leader."

Dr. Law was an avid reader and enjoyed family vacations at Deep Creek Lake. He also liked home improvement projects and was a skilled bricklayer.

Dr. Law was a longtime communicant of Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ Roman Catholic Church, 20 E. Ridgely Road, Timonium, where a memorial Mass will be offered at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Surviving are his wife of 54 years, the former Mary Elizabeth Lewis; a son, William J. "Tad" Law of Towson; two daughters, Norene Cusick of Fallston and Liz Meredith of Lutherville; and seven grandchildren.